Prime Minister's Office
English rendering of PM’s address at the dedication of various development projects in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh
My dear brothers and sisters!
Today the nation is infuriated and in gloom. I can very well understand your feelings. After the Pulwama terror attack, every Indian is in rage! Our brave soldiers have laid down their lives while protecting the nation. I want to assure the 130 crore Indians from the soil of Jhansi, from the land of brave-hearts that their sacrifice will not go in vain.
The nation has witnessed the valour and efforts of our defence forces and there can be no one in our country to have a slightest doubt in the valour and capabilities of our army. The nation has a lot of faith in their capabilities and valour.
And my dear countrymen, my dear brothers and sisters who have gathered here to shower blessings on me! Permissions have been granted to the security forces for taking decisions regarding the time, place and the nature of further action. The perpetrators and the conspirators of Pulwama attack will definitely be punished. Our neighbouring nation is forgetting that this is an India with a new policy and culture. The heinous act committed by the terror organizations and their patrons will get appropriate response.
Friends,
Our neighbouring nation is passing through a very bad phase financially. It has been so isolated and the major nations of the world have distanced from it. It is finding difficult to even manage its daily expenses. It is roaming about with a begging bowl yet it is not able to get help from the world easily. In such a poor condition, it attacks India and thinks that India too will plunge into a bad shape. Our enemies, those people sitting in Pakistan should understand that - the path that you have chosen has led you to destruction while the path that we have chosen is resulting in double the development and the world is witnessing that.
Brothers and sisters,
The 130 crore Indians will give a befitting reply to the neighbouring country for its act.
Friends,
Today the major nations of the world are with India and are supporting India's feelings. As per the information that I am receiving, they are equally grief-stricken and furious. The entire global community is in favour of ending terror.
Friends,
This land of brave sons and daughters knows how to fight against the many conspiracies of the enemies. This land is a witness to the fact that the protection of Mother Bharati and her children is the priority for us.
Friends,
This is the land of Manikarnika's valour, who had infused a new zeal and inspiration into the freedom struggle of the country as the queen of Jhansi. Manikarnika was the daughter of Kashi. And I am fortunate that the people of Kashi have elected me as their Parliamentarian. Thus, her birthplace and my workplace automatically have special bonding of affection towards Bundelkhand. The land of Bundelkhand provides a new height in terms of devotion to the nation. I clearly remember that when I had come here before, I had promised to return your love with interest. Do you remember? I had promised to return the affection with interest, do you remember it or not? I am a person who keeps his promises. We start with a mission and stop only after fulfilling that mission.
For the last four and a half years, the central government is relentlessly engaged with this work. And after the formation of the BJP government here, under the leadership of Yogi ji, his entire team has speeded up the process of development in the state.
Friends,
The BJP government is working towards the five streams of development i.e. education for children, income for the youth, medicines for the elderly, irrigation for farmers and addressing people's grievances. Moving towards the same goal, we have dedicated and laid the foundation stones of development projects worth approximately Rs.20 thousand crores for Bundelkhand and UP just now. It includes several projects related to security, employment, railways, electricity, water etc.
Brothers and sisters,
Now a campaign has started to make Bundelkhand the country's security and development corridor. This defence corridor, being built from Jhansi to Agra, will empower the country as well as provide new employment opportunities to the youth of Bundelkhand and Uttar Pradesh. Major investors of the country and the world have shown interest in setting up industries here.
I was told that agreements of about four thousand crore rupees have already been done. In this defence corridor, large Indian and foreign companies producing defence and security goods will also set up their enterprises.
Brothers and sisters,
When large industries start growing, small industries will also develop around them. A complete eco-system and a complete environment will be ready. Small and medium enterprises in Jhansi and the surrounding areas are going to get huge benefits from this corridor. This corridor will provide direct employment to lakhs of youth here. Moreover, it will also ensure skill development of the youth here. The companies setting up their enterprises here will ensure skill development and will try to provide employment to the people within their villages so that they won't have to go elsewhere.
I used to live in Gujarat. People from almost every block of Bundelkhand used to live in Gujarat. I have known you all quiet well. Those who might have thought that Bundelkhand could never be a centre of industrial development; I would like to share my experience with them. In Gujarat, close to Pakistan border, there is a desert-like district called Kutch. It's a huge district. No officer ever wished to go and work there and nobody wanted to live there. Population plunged to negative growth. Instead of increasing, the population declined. This is because there was neither water nor possibility of a livelihood.
But after the 2001 earthquake, as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, I was responsible for all the work there. Today that Kutch district, in such a short span of time, despite being a desert and lacking water and where no one wanted to marry off his daughter to, is now among the fastest growing districts of the country. I have seen Kutch developing with my own eyes. I can see Bundelkhand becoming the same.
If Kutch can, even Bundelkhand can. This is my belief. So we are working on this defence corridor to pull this land out of the despair all these years with the intention of bringing about a major change.
Friends,
I also want to talk about another challenge here. The challenge of water! I am very well aware of your struggles for water, the people of Bundelkhand! The government of Yogi Adityanath too is well aware of the same. The foundation stone of pipelines worth Rs.9 thousand crores is being laid today to liberate you from the water related problems.
I seek blessings from all the mothers and sisters of Bundelkhand so that we can deliver water to you after completing this project as soon as possible. Today, the maximum water-related troubles are faced by mothers and sisters in a household. Their entire energy is diverted towards water. I have come here to pay your debts. I have come here to liberate you all from this problem. Kindly bless us so that we can deliver water to you with the help of this pipeline. I would say that this is not just a pipeline but the lifeline.
Brothers and sisters,
On the completion of this project almost every village of Bundelkhand's every district i.e. Jhansi, Lalitpur, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Banda and Chitrakoot will receive drinking water through this pipeline. Likewise, for the Jhansi city and surrounding villages, the Central Government has formulated projects at the cost of Rs. 600 crores under the Amrit Yojana. With the water of the river Betwa, the thirst of the people of Jhansi city will be quenched, at the same time it will also provide drinking water to many adjacent villages.
Brothers and sisters, all these projects will not only meet the needs of the present, but also of the future generations.
Brothers and sisters,
With the modernization of the Pahadi dam project, the farmers are going to benefit. Earlier with this dam, proper quantity of water didn't reach the fields and there used to be leakage. Now the water leakage has been plugged. At the same time, the BJP government has brought a historic scheme called 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi'. Under this scheme, those farmers with 5 acres or less land will receive Rs.6000 annually into their bank accounts from the central government. This amount will reach you in 3 installments of Rs.2000. As per the estimate of the government, out of 2 crore 25 lakh farmers in UP, 2 crore 14 lakh farmers will benefit out of this scheme. In a way, everyone and more than 95% of the farmers of every district of UP will benefit from this scheme.
Friends,
Under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, in the next 10 years, Rs.7.5 lakh crores will be directly deposited into the bank accounts of the farmers. 7.5 lakh crores is not a small figure. And always remember that this amount will directly reach the bank accounts of the farmers. There will not be any middlemen. No one will snatch away your rights.
Friends,
For the last four and a half years, bank accounts of the poor and the farmers are being created at a rapid pace. We had a perspective vision for this. Our government made arrangements for opening your bank accounts so that the gas subsidy, MGNREGA wages, pension, student scholarships directly goes into your bank accounts instead of getting diverted from the government's treasury. Therefore, the leakage was plugged in. You know that after the money started getting deposited directly into your bank accounts, almost Rs.1 lakh crores have been saved. Earlier this amount used to go into someone else's pockets. Now Modi is standing like a wall between you and the middlemen who used to loot you.
Brothers and sisters,
Besides farmers, our government is also taking a major decision for the animal rearers and fishermen. This is important for the people of Bundelkhand. Now even the animal rearers are being provided the facility of loans through Kisan Credit Card so that they can expand their business. We have liberated the animal rearers and the fishermen from the cycle of high debt and interests that they had to repay to the moneylenders.
Besides, one more decision has been taken for the benefit of the farmers. Earlier the farmers used to get farm loans up to Rs.1 lakh without guarantee from the banks. Keeping in mind the current need, we have now increased the upper limit to Rs.1 lakh 60 thousand so that farmer is able to carry out modern farming and scientific farming. That is, now the farmers can take loans from banks up to Rs.1 lakh 60 thousand without any bank guarantee. The farmer will not have to go to Sahukars or money lenders.
Similarly, keeping in mind the cattle population, the government has decided to form a Kamdhenu Ayog. Under this commission, a provision of Rs.500 crores has been made for conservation, protection and development of cows and their progeny and for implementing related laws in an effective way. Kamdhenu Ayog is a significant step for Bundelkhand considering the problem of fodder for animals and smuggling of cattle here.
Along with these challenges, the transmission system of this place has also been improved to overcome the problem of electricity. Now the electricity system of many regions of Western Uttar Pradesh, including Bundelkhand, will be improved. Now the electricity generated in the Western and Northern grid will be easily transmitted to different areas.
Friends,
Our government has always emphasized upon railway connectivity in this region and the Bundelkhand expressway.
All the projects like doubling of Manikpur and Khairar-Bhimsen sections from Jhansi, or electrification of route from Jhansi to Khairar and to Bhimsen, will greatly benefit the people.
Brothers and sisters,
We have worked with just one mantra of 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas'; be it the farmer, the soldier or young sons and daughters. There is no discrimination. This has been possible because you had elected a strong government at the centre four and a half years ago. And I believe that the entire nation is grateful to Uttar Pradesh because Uttar Pradesh and the voters of Uttar Pradesh have played a major role in providing a stable, strong and decisive government with majority to the nation for the first time after 30 years. This is the power of the decision made by the voters of Uttar Pradesh. The people of Uttar Pradesh in 2014 have given a new hope to the nation that was shrouded in darkness and despair for 30 years. A strong government benefits every person. Uttar Pradesh has shown that how a strong government enhances the pride of a nation before the world. And the entire nation has benefitted from it. I believe that you will bless me even more in the coming days for development and for a New India.
Brothers and sisters,
Once again, my best wishes to you all for all the development projects related to employment. I also congratulate Umaji especially for making the government departments run for every little thing for the development of this area. I give my heartfelt thanks to Umaji for fulfilling her responsibilities towards the nation as an MP.
Say loudly with me -
Bharat Mata ki Jai!
Bharat Mata ki Jai!
Bharat Mata ki Jai!
Thanks a lot!